Mar. 15, 2019
THE POWER OF SAINT JOSEPH
Saint Joseph takes care of Holy Mother Church in her Silent Exile.
[ Also, today (March 16) begins the novena for the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25). You will find the full novena included after the reflection].
Saint Joseph brings some sweet consolations to souls that he visits in their last years. He tells them this one thing:
“If you want that I help you and that I obtain for your soul the most beautiful gifts, avoid attachment to creatures. Love them, but God alone counts in His Grace. The time that we use to think about mortal creatures is wasted time.”
Saint Joseph submitted to the ministers of the holy Temple. This earned him many slanders. The world of then, like the world of today, despised him. There was no perfect charity toward the Holy Family, and God experienced it.
“Friends,” says the Flame,” God only proves those that He loves. He permits disregard for those who are His intimate friends. It is a glory for Him and a profit for the Christian.”
Saint Joseph is so powerful that, all that he asks, he obtains. He watches over families, and provides for the needs of the true children of God.
It is he whom Jesus sends, and His Holy Mother, to assist those who die and to bring them a death as sweet as sleep. (28 March 1882)
[Source: pages 122-123, Le ciel en colloque avec Marie-Julie Jahenny, by Fr. Pierre Roberdel].
Reflection:
Saint Joseph’s feast will be this Tuesday, March 19. What will you ask him to obtain for you? A holy death? The conversion of a family member?
Have trust in the powerful intercession of this Saint who is the Step-Father of Jesus, and is therefore so close to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Do not be afraid of being rejected or refused.
Come to him honestly.
He who followed a simple, honest life will reward your simple honesty.
Saint Joseph will open for you the door to Heaven.
Become his friend, and you will smile as you leave this world.
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Novena for the Annunciation
(beginning March 16)
Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of thy love.
V. Send forth thy Spirit and they shall be created;
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O God, who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost; grant us by the same Spirit to relish what is right, and evermore to rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
I venerate and admire thee, most holy Virgin Mary, as the humblest of all the creatures of God on the very day of thy Annunciation, when God Himself exalted thee to the most sublime dignity of his own Mother. O mighty Virgin, enable me, wretched sinner that I am, to know the depths of my own nothingness, and at once with all my heart to humble myself before all men.
Ave Maria…
Mary most holy Virgin, when thou was saluted by Gabriel the Archangel, and the message from God was conveyed to thee, and thou wast exalted by God above all the Choirs of Angels, then thou didst humbly say, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.” Oh, obtain for me true humility and angelic purity, enabling me so to live on earth that I may ever be worthy of the blessing of God.
Ave Maria…
O Virgin ever blessed, I rejoice with thee because solely by thy humble Fiat thou didst draw from the bosom of the Eternal Father the divine Word into thy own pure bosom. Draw then ever my heart to God; and with God draw grace into my heart, that I may ever bless thy Fiat!, and cry with devotion, “O mighty Fiat! O efficacious Fiat! O Fiat to be venerated above all Fiats”(St. Thomas of Villanove).
Ave Maria…
O Virgin Mary, on the day of thy Annunciation thou wast found by Gabriel the Archangel quick and ready to do God’s will, when it pleased the most Holy Trinity to await thy consent in order to redeem the world. Enable me in every good and bad fortune to turn to God with resignation and say: Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Ave Maria…
Most holy Mary, I well understand that thy obedience made the union between thy God and thee more intimate than shall ever again be possible for any other creature: (“No creature could be in closer union with God.” B. Albertus Magnus). I am confounded to see how sin has separated me from God. Help me then, kind Mother, truly to do penance for my sins, that thy own loving Jesus may yet once more live in me and I in Him.
Ave Maria…
Most holy Mary, thou was troubled by reason of thy modesty, when Gabriel the Archangel stood before thee in thy house; but I, when I come before thee, am troubled because of my great pride; wherefore do thou in thy incomparable humility, “which brought forth God for men, reopened Paradise, and set the captive souls free from hell beneath” (S. Aug. Sermo de Sanct.), draw me, I pray thee, out of the deep pit of my sins, and enable me to save my soul.
Ave Maria…
Most holy Virgin, though I have an unhallowed tongue, I have the boldness to salute thee all hours of the day: “Hail, hail Mary, full of grace.” I pray thee from my heart to replenish my soul with a little of that grace wherewith the Holy Ghost, when He overshadowed thee, filled thee to the full.
Ave Maria…
Most holy Mary, “The Lord is with thee”; I know by faith that the great God who has been ever with thee from thy Conception, is, by his Incarnation in thy purest womb, made still more closely one with thee; make it thy care, I pray thee, that I may ever be one in heart and soul with that same dear Lord Jesus, by means of his sanctifying grace.
Ave Maria…
Most holy Mary, “Blessed art thou amongst women”; pour out upon my heart and soul thy heavenly blessing, as thou thyself wast ever blessed of God among all women; for I have this sure hope, that if, my dear Mother, thou wilt bless me while I live, then when I die I shall be blessed of God in the everlasting glory of Heaven.
Ave Maria…
The Litany of Loretto
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Saviour, pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of justice, pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Spiritual Vessel, pray for us.
Vessel of honour, pray for us.
Vessel of singular devotion, pray for us.
Mystical Rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of Ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the covenant, pray for us.
Gate of Heaven, pray for us.
Morning star, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of Angels, pray for us.
Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of Prophets, pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of Confessors, pray for us.
Queen of Virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, pray for us.**
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.**
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Let us pray.
O God, who by the message of an angel didst will that the divine Word should take flesh of the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant unto us thy suppliants that we, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee.
O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all the faithful, graciously look down upon thy servant Pope Gregory XVIII, whom Thou hast chosen to be the Pastor of thy Church; and grant him, we beseech Thee, both by word and example, so to direct those over whom Thou hast placed him, that together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may attain eternal life.
O God, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all holiness, listen to the pious prayers of thy Church, and grant that what we ask in faith we may effectually obtain, through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
[Source: the 1910 Raccolta, except the **inclusions to the Litany of Loretto, which were added after 1910].
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"We declare, say, define and proclaim to every human creature that they by necessity for salvation are entirely subject to the Roman Pontiff ." - Decree of Pope Boniface VIII, Unam Sanctam, Nov. 18, 1302 ex cathedra